NATO says Russian warnings against allies ‘unacceptable’

BRUSSELS: President Vladimir Putin's warnings to NATO allies are "unacceptable" and do not help efforts to calm tensions, the alliance said on Friday, a day after the Russian leader announced an array of new nuclear weapons.

"Russian statements threatening to target allies are unacceptable and counterproductive," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a statement.

"We do not want a new Cold War or a new arms race," she said, also adding that NATO's US-built missile defence system in Europe was not aimed at Russia.